Mohamed Bajaber is the latest emerging top talent in Kenyan football who made the move from the Kenya Premier League to the Tanzania Premier League to sign for Tanzania’s Simba SC, in a growing trend of top Kenyan footballers crossing the border in search of greener pastures.
For many in the local football scene, this transfer was more than just business; it reflected the huge professional and financial contrast between Kenya’s struggling top-flight and Tanzania’s rapidly improving league.
Tanzania is the better option
According to FIFA’s Global Transfer Report 2024, a total of 22 Kenyan male and female players transferred to Tanzanian Premier League clubs, more than any other East African destination.
Notable names to have made the move to Tanzania include Francis Kahata, Joash Onyango, Kenneth Muguna, John Mark Makwatta, and Eric Kapaito.
For the 2024/25 Tanzanian Premier League season, at least nine Kenyan players were registered with various clubs in the league.
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Tanzanian league secured a Ksh13.5 billion broadcast deal with Azam Media for over 10 years, each team receiving Ksh90 million to Ksh110 million annually from broadcast rights alone.
The winners of the TPL are awarded Ksh360 million, while the winners of the KPL have no consistent prize money in most years.
The most a KPL winner won was in 2019 when Gor Mahia were given a reward of Ksh5 million.
Key Factors
Better Financial Packages
Tanzanian clubs, especially top-tier ones like Simba SC, Yanga SC, and Simba Queens, offer higher salaries, better sign-on fees, and more consistent payments compared to many Kenyan clubs.
An average player in the KPL earns a salary of around Ksh50,000 to Ksh100,000, while an average player in the TPL earns around Ksh120,000 to Ksh300,000.
A player in top KPL clubs like Gor Mahia and AFC earns around Ksh150,000 to Ksh250,000, while a player in top TPL clubs like Azam FC, Simba SC, and Yanga SC earns around Ksh400,000 to Ksh1.5 million.
The maximum a foreign player can earn in the Kenya Premier League is capped at Ksh300,000, while foreign stars in Tanzania can earn any amount, depending on their status.
Tanzanian clubs offer better structure, bonuses, housing, and timely payments.
Professionalism and Infrastructure
Tanzania’s top clubs, Simba SC, Yanga SC, and Azam FC, have invested heavily in club-owned stadiums, gyms, recovery centers, and training grounds.
These facilities are consistently upgraded to meet CAF standards, giving local players exposure to a professional environment daily.
In contrast, many Kenyan Premier League (KPL) teams train in public or shared grounds, with limited access to consistent medical or fitness support.
Tanzanian clubs are largely privately owned or backed by corporate sponsors (e.g., Azam TV, GSM Group), which means:
- Stable salaries and contracts
- Well-structured administration and payroll systems
- Clear accountability from top to bottom
In Tanzania, air and bus travel is professionally coordinated, and players are housed in club-owned apartments or receive living allowances.
Meals and recovery are planned around training schedules, and contracts include bonuses for performance, accommodation, and medical insurance.
These basics, while standard in Tanzania, are often inconsistent or absent in many Kenyan clubs.
TPL matches are professionally broadcast with high-quality visuals, commentary, and pre/post-match analysis.
This environment improves player motivation and offers greater career visibility across the region and continent.
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In Kenya, poor attendance, weak marketing, and limited media coverage often make matchdays feel less inspiring, even for top-flight fixtures.
Stability and Governance
Tanzania’s football governing body (TFF) has maintained relatively consistent leadership and operations.
In contrast, Kenya has experienced instabilities that make it hard for players to plan their careers locally, including:
- Frequent leadership wrangles within the Football Kenya Federation (FKF)
- Government interference leading to FIFA suspensions
- League disruptions and unclear promotion/relegation systems
Top Tanzanian clubs like Simba and Yanga have transparent financial practices, contrasting with many Kenyan clubs that struggle with funding, delayed salaries, and poor management.
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